Joyce Meyer - The Lost Son And The Elder Brother (08/24/2019)
The story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 goes way deeper than just one rebellious kid squandering his inheritance—it's really three powerful pictures rolled into one: the lost younger son who hits rock bottom, the compassionate father who watches, waits, and runs to embrace him with crazy love, and the bitter elder brother who resents all the grace and celebration. God is always searching for the lost—no matter how far gone or how recently off track—and when they're found, heaven throws a massive party because true repentance means turning your whole life around.
The Deeper Truth of the Prodigal Son Story
How many of you ever heard of the story of the prodigal son? Okay. Well we're going to talk about that tonight but I want to tell you the truth. The story is really about a lot more than this one boy who wanted his inheritance and took it and went off and wasted it. It's actually about three different situations all equally important.
It's about the prodigal son, the young man who wanted to get away from mom and dad as quick as he could. And that's not uncommon. A lot of young people they just think man I got to get out of here. Don't want anybody telling me what to do. I'm going to move out on my own.
And it's kind of funny because sometimes parents try to keep them home. But you know you might just let them go and find out what the real world is like. That living in that apartment they want to live in is a lot more expensive than living in mom and dad's bedroom somewhere. Amen. You're going to have to put breakfast lunch and dinner on the table now not somebody else. Amen.
And so the young man he found out a lot about what life was really like but he had to go find that out for himself. And of course we'll go through the scriptures. But then it's also this story is majorly about the father. And it majorly represents the father heart that God has toward us. And how desperately he wants those that are lost to come back to him.
The Elder Brother – The Religious Stinker
But then it's also about a real stinker of a guy called the elder brother. And I'll tell you what that guy I was so much that guy. He was just like this religious I do it all right guy that was judgmental and had no mercy on people who made mistakes.
And so we're going to get into this and I hope that you find something that's going to be pertinent to your everyday life here. Luke chapter 15 is a chapter that's all about searching for things that are lost. And that's what God does. He searches for people that are lost.
Whether you've been lost your whole life and you're here tonight or you're watching by TV and you've never received Christ as your Savior or whether you've backslidden and you've been lost for a couple of years or whether you just really messed up royally in the last week and you've just been lost for a week we could do that.
You know even people that are born again and love God I mean you can get don't you ever just get like I just feel I feel like I've lost my footing I feel like I was stronger in God than what I am now. And then somehow or another I've kind of gotten off base I've kind of wandered and kind of lost my way.
So whether you're really lost a little lost or just a really little bit lost God is looking for you. He's searching for you. And when He finds you He's not going to chastise you and tell you how bad you've been. He's going to rejoice and have a party.
Why God Throws Parties (And Religious People Don't Like Them)
I don't know if you know it or not but God really likes parties. I mean if you study how many parties God had and I mean in the Old Testament He commanded them to have parties I mean they had to do them. There were like seven big feasts a year. There were six seven days long. And I mean all they did was eat and drink and make merry and dance and party.
Well you know what I found out religious people don't like parties. Now just so we're clear when I say a religious person I'm not talking about somebody who really loves God and is really committed. I'm talking about legalistic rule keepers who think they do everything right but they don't have any. They may go to church every week. They may give. They may even do a few good works.
But here's the difference in a religious person and a Christian the religious person can do everything right but they don't have any real intimate relationship with the Father.
And you say but see there's so many people they go to church every week and they think yeah you say are you a Christian well I go to such and so church. I didn't ask you what denomination you were. I don't even like it when people ask me what religion are you I'd much rather you ask me do you have a relationship with Jesus. Amen.
So that's what Christianity is. It's a personal intimate relationship with Jesus where he doesn't want to just visit with you for 45 minutes on Sunday morning if you feel like getting up and going but he wants to get in everything that you do. He cares about everything you do. It's intimate it's personal. You are the home the house of God and he lives in you and you can't get any closer than that.
The Lost Sheep – Heaven's Joy Over One Sinner
There's three stories in Luke 15 that all make the same point. And the first one is the parable of the lost sheep and it's Luke 15 1 through 7. Now the tax collectors and the notorious and the especially wicked sinners I don't know about you but that was me. I was not just I was not just a sinner but I was an especially wicked sinner.
And the tax collectors just so you're up to speed they were like the biggest crooks. And everybody hated the tax collectors because they could charge them whatever amount they wanted to charge them and they were all just trying to get everybody's money.
They were all coming near to Jesus to listen to him. So here's the thing they were wicked people but they wanted to hear what Jesus had to say. So there must have been something in their heart that wanted to change.
So here's the thing no matter what condition your life is in or how far away from God you think you may be you came tonight. Or you're still watching the program. You haven't turned me off yet. And don't because I've got some good news for you. Amen.
And you may think oh I accidentally turned this on I don't even think I like her. Well you'd be surprised how many people there are that started out that way that got saved and now their life's different.
Revival Might Look Messy to Religious People
So now get this. The tax collectors and the especially wicked sinners came to Jesus because they maybe secretly wanted a change in their life. And the Pharisees and the scribes the legalistic religious people kept muttering and indignantly complaining saying this man accepts and receives and welcomes preeminently wicked sinners and he even eats with them.
What kind of a Christian are you if you get aggravated because sinners want to come and hear about Jesus? Do you know a lot of churches are praying for revival and they wouldn't know what to do with one if one slapped them upside the head.
Do you know why? Because if a church gets in revival it's going to get full of people that aren't like you don't dress like you don't smell like you don't think like you don't look like you and aren't nearly as polished.
So he told them this parable. What man of you if he has a hundred sheep and loses one doesn't leave the ninety-nine and go after the one that's lost until he finds it? Now when he's found it he lays it on his shoulders rejoicing. And when he gets home he calls together all of his friends and neighbors and says rejoice with me for I found my sheep which was lost. See there party time.
I mean I guess I'm just being funny when I say this but I still think it's cute. When Jesus called his disciples he said come and join my party. He meant his group of twelve but I think they probably did have a party.
I tell you this there'll be more joy in heaven over one especially wicked person who repents changes his mind abhorring his errors and misdeeds and determines to enter upon a better course of life. I love the way the Amplified Bible puts that.
Repentance is not just saying oh I'm sorry I did that or I'm sorry I got caught. It's saying I am determined to enter into a better course of life. I want to turn my life around I want to turn my life around.
And you see a lot of people just want to attach Jesus to their mess and have him fix a lot of it. They're really not serious about entering on a completely better course of life.
So tonight when we give you an opportunity to receive Christ I want to make sure before you shoot your hand up and say yes that you know that means you need to be willing for a turnaround in your life. Amen. That's what repentance is to turn around and change.
Personal Lessons in Showing Mercy Instead of Judgment
Well I can tell you that I've never had a lost sheep but I have had a lost dog that I've ran around the neighborhood like a crazy person looking for calling everybody I know got them looking for my dog. And I can tell you when I found my dog I called my friends and I was I found my dog I found my dog.
Well let's just say that I had a cat which I didn't have that I never lost. Well I wouldn't have been calling my friends saying I've never lost my cat. Let's rejoice I've never lost my cat. Let's rejoice.
For some reason when we lose something and we get it back come on when we lose something and we get it back. See that's why I'm so excited and so thrilled to be able to tell the world about what Jesus delivered me out of and how he healed me from years of being sexually abused by my dad and how he's given me back my childhood and he's given me back.
You know when you lose something and you get it back I don't know how you can keep your mouth shut about Jesus and just go somewhere and be quiet. Amen. I mean Jesus is in the business of looking for and finding things that are lost and bringing them back home. Amen.
And so then Jesus told the parable. It says Jesus told the parable to the Pharisees and the scribes who were upset by the presence of the especially wicked sinners. That's why he told the parable. He told that story because these wicked people came and the religious people got upset because Jesus was being friendly with them.
A real Christian loves sinners. But religious people now get this but religious people are offended by their presence.
So we're going to dig a little bit deep here and maybe get just a tad uncomfortable. I don't know I hope I can finish this story tonight but if not thank God there's always tomorrow.
First of all I'm going to give you three examples out of my own life. And you know what I've been preaching for over 42 years. Believe me I've said more than 42 words. I've been teaching for over 42 years and so I know a lot about the Bible I've learned a lot God's changed me a lot but I'm still amazed sometimes when God puts me in a position that exposes yet another attitude.
See this is what spiritual maturity wants. It wants to see those things that's hidden. We want God to bring them to the surface even though it's uncomfortable. We want Him to show us things so He can deal with them and we can become even a better person. Not because we have to to be saved but we want to because of what Jesus has done for us.
Example 1: Judging by Appearance in a Coffee Shop
So example number one I remember a time when I walked into a restaurant to get a coffee and it was a place I went all the time and we had a visiting minister with us from another part of the world and obviously when you hear the story I'm not ready to tell he was much more spiritually mature than me.
My ministry was much larger than his but he apparently was much more spiritually mature. So your spiritual maturity is not judged by how big your ministry is or how many scriptures you got underlined in your Bible. It's really judged by how do we treat people. Come on all kinds of people.
And so there was a new girl working and the minute I walked up and started to talk to her I was just like not comfortable because she just was strange. Her hair was going in five different directions and each piece was a different color and she had piercings everywhere and everything was black or lipstick was black you know and so I just like come on now you don't don't sit there and act like you don't ever see the minute that we see somebody like that we automatically assume I assume well they can't be a Christian I don't know because they're not cleaned up like me I mean I comb my hair.
Well I color mine too but it's only one well it's two colors. It's blonde and brown. So this other guy that obviously was more spiritually mature he kind of jumped right in there and he says I love your hair. However how do you get it to do that.
And I mean so just in a few minutes he broke down the ice. You see sinners can feel your religiosity. And instead of drawing back from them we need to learn a lesson from Jesus.
Now this doesn't mean that you become close intimate associates with every sinner that you can find. Paul tells us not to do that but we have to learn to stop looking at people like they're from another planet and treating people like we think that we're better than they are.
So anyway I was kind of amazed at watching him and how he was so here's the thing that amazed me he was so comfortable with her and I was so uncomfortable with her. Well that showed me something about me that I needed to see. Amen.
Example 2: Trying to Clean the Fish Before Catching It
Next story I was out shopping with a female minister who's an evangelist real strong evangelist. I'm a real strong teacher so she wants to save everybody I want everybody to grow up. And I mean you just kind of you come at it from whatever angle you know your gift is.
So we went in this store and this girl says oh are you from here no we're from so-and-so what are you doing here oh we're here to do a Bible conference. And she says oh I'm spiritual too.
Well right away I went you're spiritual what does that mean because you know sometimes when people tell you they're spiritual that's kind of like you know. And so right away I've got my walls up yeah well what kind of spiritual are you.
So anyway she starts cussing I mean like pretty bad. And then she says she says oh oh I'm sorry about the cussing but she said you know I think God cusses too.
Okay well now I get my back up and I am like going to defend God like he really needs me to defend him. So I lean across this counter and I looked at her and I said God does not cuss.
Because see I'm trying to clean her up. My evangelist friend sneaks in in front of me and she says but he loves people who do.
Well here's the thing she wanted to catch a fish I was trying to clean the fish before we caught it. Now come on you do this in the office where you work you do it in your neighborhood you do it with lost people who come to the church.
We want to clean them up before we ever catch them and all we do is run them off.
Example 3: Blessing a Stranger with a Coffee Pot
Now we'll fast forward about 15 years to where now I'm hopefully a little more spiritually mature. And I'll tell you a nicer story so I don't just look too bad.
Another state I was in Utah. Went in there I asked for a pour-over. They didn't do pour-overs I'm not going to explain what that is. But anyway she said but hey we got this new French press machine.
And I'm like no I don't like French presses they've always got ground. No you're going to love this French press let me make you one. If you don't like it I'll make you anything else you want I promise you'll like it.
So she was just real you know friendly. Her hair was also about four different colors and she had you know piercings everywhere. But like I said I've changed a little bit by now.
And so you know I'm having a conversation with her and she's real nice to me and she's making me this coffee and we're being friendly. And so she said I just want to buy one of these pots so bad but she said I just can't afford it yet maybe someday I'll be able to get one.
Well she no more than had that out of her mouth and I felt that God spoke to my heart and said buy her one.
Well I'm thinking I mean it wasn't the money I'm thinking I don't want this lady to think I'm a nut. You know I come in here to get a coffee and I'm going to I mean you know today I don't want her to think I'm just trying to hit on her or flirt with her or something.
You know I'm going to well I didn't know you know. And I mean what's she going to think I'm like hey I want to buy you that coffee pot sweetie.
So come on do you know how many excuses you can come up with for not doing what God wants you to do. And but mainly we just don't want to look stupid you know.
And so I tried to get out of it but you know when God's after you you don't get out of stuff. So I mean not unless you want to be miserable.
So I took my coffee that was good and started walking down the mall and then I thought no all right. So I went back and I said she comes over and I said I said listen you just were so kind to me and I just want to bless you I want to buy you that coffee pot.
I'm like oh she starts crying and she you know that's what I hate the scene they make the scene it's like oh no no no you can't do that oh you know I'm like oh please don't be doing it no you can't do it.
So finally she took the coffee pot and all was well and so okay now I can go down the mall and drink my coffee in peace I've done what God wanted me to do.
Do you all know what I'm talking about all right.
So then I'm not going to get to my message tonight I don't think but we'll see what happens.
Well then hour and a half later this is I mean God is on it folks. An hour and a half later I go into another store upstairs to the ladies' room I'm ready to go out of the ladies' room and in comes this girl.
So there we are. And now here's the thing she says to me can you tell me why you are the kindest person in the whole world.
Well I thought oh my gosh. And so I said well I said listen I'm a Christian God has done a lot for me He's changed my life He's blessed me and I just felt like you needed somebody to show you some love you needed to be blessed and so I just wanted to bless you.
Well now she starts crying again and she says she says my mother died with cancer when I was 12 years old. And she said I've been kind of mad at the higher power.
So she hesitated so I knew that she didn't know enough about God to even know what to call him the higher power. But she said this really means a lot to me.
And so I realized later that God used that silly coffee pot to start drawing a soul to him. And how many times can we be used by God come on.
But as Christians we have to stop turning our nose up at people that aren't like us because God sees things in people that we don't see.
See here's what mercy is God sees not only what people are doing but why they're doing it. He knows the background behind it.
So she was lost God was searching for her. And he gave me the privilege of being involved in it and that's what he wants to do with every believer on the planet.
He wants us to forget about what we want what we need give me give me give me give me and he wants to use us to draw lost souls to him.
The Prodigal Son – From “Give Me” to “Make Me”
There was a certain man who had two sons. And the younger one said to his father Father give me the part of the inheritance that belongs to me. And he divided the estate between them.
I want you to notice that this young man in his immaturity what he said to his father was give me. And that's the way we start out with God give me give me give me give me give me give me give me.
Later on you'll see that he changed his tune but this is where he started. And so the father divided the estate between them.
Now the thing you may not realize is in that culture a child never ever talked to a parent about money or their inheritance. It was totally out of the question. It was something you did not do.
So number one to even mention that to his father was like the rudest thing that he could do. Secondly when he asked for his inheritance which the children did not get till the father died he just the same as said I wish you were dead.
But you know the thing that I find interesting his father gave it to him. And I think there's really something important there and I'll tell you why I think what I think in just a little bit.
And not many days after that the younger son gathered up all that he had and he went into a distant country and he wasted his fortune.
How many times have we said to our kids you're not going to take what I've worked hard for all my life and just waste it. You ever said that to one of your kids? No. Well you're a better parent than me.
But he wasted his fortune. And when he spent all that he had a mighty famine came and he had nothing to eat so he went and he forced himself on a farmer who finally said I'll let you feed my hogs.
And he would have gladly fed and filled his body with the same food he was feeding the hogs. But I love this in verse 16 it says but they could not satisfy his hunger.
Can I tell you that a life of sin will never satisfy your hunger. You can leave home and run away from the Father's house thinking that the world has what you want.
Oh I'll be famous if I do this or I'll make more money if I do that or I'll be more well-known if I do that I can tell you what you can go get it but it's still going to leave you empty.
Because there's nothing the world has that can satisfy the spiritual hunger that we have on the inside of us. Because only God can fill that place up nothing else. Amen.
You know some people rather here tonight or watching by television I mean you are trying so hard to climb the ladder of success but you better be careful that you don't get to the end of your life and find out your ladder's leaned against the wrong building.
So he was hungry nobody gave him anything better. I love verse 17 then when he came to himself he had oh what am I doing.
I think we all need to have a meeting with ourselves a little more often. It's like what am I doing. And you know is what I'm doing really bringing any satisfaction to my life.
You know maybe somebody here tonight or somebody watching by TV maybe you'll come to yourself during our time together. Maybe you'll have like this epiphany you'll wake up and go wow I've been living in a fog I've been lost.
He said he came to himself and he said how many of even my father's hired servants have enough food. And here I'm dying of hunger.
I'm going to get up and go to my father and I will say to him father I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.
I love this. He started out saying give me give me give me give me. Now all of a sudden he's over here saying make me whatever you want to make me. Make me whatever you see fit I don't care if it's a servant in your house whatever it is your will be done.
Immature baby Christians give me give me give me give me. Spiritually mature sons and daughters make me what you want me to be.
You know you have to think about this boy. What did he spend that money on? Excessive drinking immoral women perhaps gambling the best of everything the world had to offer. His lodgings were probably the best. He probably bought all of his friends drinks so he looked like a big shot. He ate the best food. He thought he was living the good life living high.
But nothing could satisfy his hunger. There's a spiritual message here. You may think you've got the world by the tail but you better stop long enough to ask yourself what you feel like inside.
And what do you feel like when the music stops and you're home at night and you're laying in your bed by yourself and there's nobody there but you in the silence.
He ended up in the pig pen of life. Can I tell you that sin always has its consequences. Always. Be sure your sin will find you out.
The Bible says the wages of sin is death. Psalm 38 David said there's no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation. Neither is any health or rest in my bones because of my sin.
He was just talking about how miserable he was until he repented thoroughly of his sin and came back to his father.
The young man's consequences of sin came crashing in on him. No money no home no good employment no food no joy no peace full of guilt full of regret.
But he made a decision. He made a decision to go home. There's people in here tonight you need to make a decision to come home. Your father's waiting for you. He's been looking for you.
Many watching by television you need to make a decision. You need to ask Jesus into your heart. You need to repent of your sins and find out what it's like to have a real life not just that phony plastic pretend life that the world is offering you. Amen.
The Father's Run – Undignified Love
But how's my father going to feel after what I've done. Will he take me back? You know people sometimes say well I want to have a relationship with Jesus after I get myself cleaned up.
Well see that's just like that's pointless because you can't fix yourself. You can't clean yourself up. When you go to Jesus it's a come-as-you-are party. And he takes you just the way you are and then he helps you become what you want to be.
But the father oh my gosh the father. So he got up and he came to his father but while he was still a long way off the father saw him and was moved with pity and compassion and he ran and embraced him and kissed him fervently.
Now here's the thing that when you really get down to studying this I mean the father didn't know why the boy was coming back. He could have been coming back asking for more money. But he didn't.
You know so often we think about we get so suspicious. And we think about all the what-ifs and is somebody going to try to take advantage of us.
But his father was rejoicing over the one thing that he could find positive. He laid eyes on his son he's coming in my direction. Let's look at this in a positive way and believe that something good is going to happen.
Now his father ran to him and in that culture it was totally undignified for an elderly man to run. You just didn't do it. And then he got very emotional. That was another thing that elderly men did not do. They never displayed their emotions.
But can I tell you something God gets so excited about you that he will act downright undignified if he needs to. Come on.
And you know if you're in one of the frozen chosen churches where nobody moves and nobody I mean you've had more fun in here in 30 minutes than you've had probably in the last 30 years some places.
Because in some churches you don't laugh you don't move you don't clap. I remember we used to tell our kids that they would even make a noise be quiet you're in the house of God.
It's no wonder kids grow up petrified of God and don't want anything to do with him.
And so then man if this is the first time you've ever been to something like this maybe you've been watching me on television and you thought I was real nice calm. You didn't know about this jumping up and down worship thing we had going on and these strobe lights and all that stuff I don't know.
We have the fog machine going tonight I never have figured that out why we need that. But they say we do so we have it.
And you know people can come in and see us and say well that's just a bunch of emotion. Well you know what if I'm going to act undignified and get emotional about anything why wouldn't it be about what God has done in my life.
Why would I want to go to a football game and make a total fool out of myself but when I'm around God I think so.
Now there's decency and an order and we don't need to interrupt services and you know I understand all that. But church doesn't have to be a solemn assembly all the time.
I mean I believe that God has got a sense of humor. He'd have to have to call all of us.
And the son said to the father now this is good. Father I've sinned against heaven and earth and in your sight and I'm no longer worthy to be called your son I no longer deserve to be recognized as a son of yours.
I mean he had his speech all prepared. You ever done that when you need to apologize to somebody you go over it and over it I mean you pick out all your best I'm sorry words.
And you know here's the thing that was interesting. Before the kid ever even got it all out of his mouth first of all the father had already forgiven him before he even repented.
Now he received that forgiveness through owning up to his sin but the father was so glad to have him back I mean he started with the ring on his finger the sandals on his feet the best robe the fatted calf and then he planned a party.
And each one of those things like the ring that ring was a signet ring and it was a sign of authority. So what was he saying to his son you're not going to come back to my house as a servant you're coming back as my son. Amen.
So let me tell you something when you have been lost and you have missed God terribly and you have backslidden and you even as a believer have done some of the worst things you could possibly imagine and you come back to God that doesn't mean that you have to take a back seat.
Now there may be some periods of restitution and there may be things like that but as far as you and God are concerned you're still his son. You have that authority as a child of God.
The best robe it was the father's robe. It was his special robe that was only worn for special occasions. The fatted calf you only killed the fatted calf when it was a very special occasion that was going on.
But the thing that I love was the father's heart toward this boy who had gotten himself lost in sin. Even though he wasted his father's fortune he said I wish you were dead in all essence I wish you were dead I don't want anything to do with you he'd been rude to him.
The father's heart was still I've been waiting for you to come home.
I'll give you a natural example of this I just thought about this today. Pastor Mike who helps here in the meetings and many of you you've met him because he comes to the meetings early and he goes around and talks to everybody and maybe he's even called you if you're a partner he's prayed with you or something.
And so I've known him for over 30 years. And I know his heart I mean he's the greatest guy.
Well I got an email text message from him last week. And it was pretty lengthy and it started out it was like this heartfelt humble apology for a mistake that he had made in that he was supposed to do something that I asked him to do last December and lo and behold he now just found out that he forgot to do it.
And I mean he was just he was heartbroken. Well now and I hope you don't take this wrong but I read the first couple of lines and I already saw where this was going.
And so I skimmed the rest I didn't even need to read it because I already forgave him before I ever even knew what he did. Come on now.
That's what relationship does. I had no need to punish him I had no need to make him feel bad I didn't need to reprimand him I didn't need to say well now can I trust you in the future.
You know why because his heart was so much more important to me than the mistake that he made. Come on God wants to talk to you tonight.
Your heart toward God is so much more important than a mistake that you make.
You know I said that I would tell you why I thought the the the father gave the prodigal the inheritance even though he already knew he was going to go waste it.
Because sometimes to get the prodigal back you have to let him go. And there's some parents that need to hear that.
And here's what I wrote down the boy's wrong attitude would never have been fixed in the comfort of his father's care. He had to experience some harsh realities of life in order to wake up and realize what he had at home before he left. Amen.
The Elder Brother – The Danger of Religious Resentment
Now let's look at the elder brother. Can we handle that guy? Luke chapter 15 verses 25 through 30.
But his older son was in the field and as he returned and came near to the house he heard the music and the dancing.
And I can tell you right away he already got an attitude. And having called one of the servant boys to him he began to ask him what does this mean.
I'm telling you what legalistically sour religious people they're not big on joy. Have any of you ever been just an old soured up religious person and now you're free from that you got a deep relationship with God have you.
All right let me ask you a question. Were you ever very happy? No. You know did you find that you judged other things and judged other people.
Well you know I mean you know the people who judge me the most for what I do are the ones who are doing nothing. And that'll be the way it'll be for your life too.
I mean you'll get excited about Jesus and get a relationship with Jesus and you know people who don't want to serve God they don't want you to be excited they don't want you to be happy they don't want you to have anything that they don't have.
So the only way they can get around it is to find something wrong with you. And so then they criticize you and they'll reject you and tell you they don't want to have a relationship with you.
But I'll tell you what you hang on to God because he's the best friend you'll ever have. Okay reading on here.
What does this mean what's this music. And he said to him your brother has come and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has received him back alive and well.
Well he knew very well if dad had killed that special calf that there was something going on here. The elder brother was angry with deep-seated wrath. And he resolved that he would not go in to the party.
I love this because here's the thing I want to tell you God wants you to come to the party but he's having a party whether you come or not.
So you might as well just get in on it and not just sit outside and well those people are all just emotional. Well you ought to try coming sometime and jump in the middle of it and see what happens.
He was angry with deep-seated wrath and he resolved not to go in. Then his father came out and he began to plead with him son please come in please come in.
But he answered his father look can you just feel the indignation. Look these many years I've served you here we go let's hear your record of good works.
And I've never disobeyed your command. And you never so much as gave me even one little goat.
Okay now you know what I see here. There's no telling us what all his father had done for him all those years. But he did not see what his father had done. He only saw what he had not done.
You never gave me so much as a goat that I might revel and feast and be happy and make merry with my friends.
And when this son of yours I feel the attitude I've had it. When this son of yours arrived who has devoured your estate with immoral women.
See right away he wants to bring up the boy's sins. There's no joy that he came back. He just wants to bring up everything that he did wrong.
You know let's get this down to where we live. Maybe you've been the one to take care of the elderly parents and you've had another sibling who just didn't do anything.
They didn't do their part at all. You did it all and it cost you all the money. And you know you gave up a lot of your life to take care of them.
And you know you're a Christian you're saved. And so you did what you believe was right. Those other siblings lost they were just full of themselves.
And now you know last minute Mom doesn't have very long to live. They come home now. And mom seems to be more glad to see them than she was you all the years you were there.
Matter of fact you took all the crabbing and complaining the moaning and the groaning. You know when you're a caregiver for somebody if they're going to get mad at somebody it's usually you I know because I did it.
And you think how could you possibly chastise me for something I'm not doing. Do you realize what I am doing.
But we're all kind of like that. You know we take out our frustrations on the people that we love the most.
But see Jesus said I can have 99 sheep that never got lost. But if one gets lost I'm going to rejoice more over that one that got lost and came back than the 99 who never got lost.
Now that doesn't mean that he's not rejoicing over the ones that got lost. But it's a different kind of thing. He's got a there's a deeper relationship.
Why in the world do we get aggravated when God gets generous.
Now if you groaned at that you may not want to be here tomorrow. Are you learning anything about this parable tonight.
These many years I've served you. You gave him the fatted calf. You didn't even kill a goat for me. You've done nothing for me.
And look at what the father said. Son all these years you've always been with me and everything that's been mine has been yours.
In other words he could have had anything all of it at any time. We have so much in God. And we dare not start having a bad attitude when God's good to somebody that we think doesn't deserve it.